Adjustable pipe groover and cut-off

ABSTRACT

A pipe receiving tool which incorporates a driven ring gear carrying an adjustable knife mounting arm for travel about the pipe in cutting engagement therewith. The knife mounting arm can adjustably mount two knives so as to simultaneously groove and cut-off a pipe, or can carry a single knife to perform either function by itself.

Hittite Lorenz CUT-OFF [76] Inventor:

[22] Filed:

Dec. 18, 1970 21 Appl. No.: 99,478

tates Watet [191 Robert 1-1. Lorenz, 1888 Lakewind Drive, Pontiac, Mich.48053 1 3,73%613 1 May 15, 1973 Primary ExaminerGranville Y. Custer, Jr,Assistant Examiner.l. C. Peters Attorney-Clarence A. OBrien & Harvey B.Jacob- [52] 11.8. CI ..30/97 son [51] ..B23d 21/04 [58] Field of Search..30/92, 96, 97, 101, [57] ABSTRACT 30/102 A pipe receiving tool whichincorporates a driven ring gear carrying an adjustable knife mountingarm for [56] References Cited travel about the pipe in cuttingengagementtherewith. UNITED STATES PATENTS The knife mounting arm can adjustablymount two knives so as to simultaneously groove and cut-off a ga l pipe,or can carry a single knife to perform either y function y itself.

6 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures 28 2O 26 I.r f:

/4 46 /2 MA-"1V6 a PATENTED HAY I 51973 SHEET 1 BF 3 Roberf H. LorenzPATENTED 3.732.618

SHEET 2 0F 3 Hobefl H. Lorenz INVESTOR.

PAIENIEB H 3.732.618

SHEET 3 OF 3 INVESTOR.

BY WW 19m Robert H.- Lorenz ADJUSTABLE PIPE GROOVER AND CUT-OFF Theinstant invention is concerned with a pipe cutting tool, and moreparticularly relates to a tool which can be used to sever a section ofpipe, groove the pipe, and, if so desired, perform both functionssimultaneously.

It is a primary intention of the instant invention to provide a pipecutting tool which is unique in its ability to perform a variety ofoperations in a simple and effective manner utilizing a structurallycompact and uncomplicated construction, notwithstanding the noveltypresent in the particular combination of structural elements involved.

Basically, the tool of the instant invention includes inner and outerplates which mount a bearing collar therebetween for the reception of aring gear thereabout. The ring gear is rotationally driven by a spurgear mounted on the inner or back plate, the ring gear carrying anenlarged mounting ring which in turn pivotally mounts the adjustablemounting arm which carries the cutting knives, either one or twodepending upon the particular job to be performed. The entire device isslid onto the pipe to be cut and locked into position by adjustablelocking arms fixed to the inner plate.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the tool or machine of the instantinvention mounted in operative position on a pipe;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially on aplane passing along line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear or inner elevational view of the pipe mounted device;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional detail taken substantially on aplane passing along line 4-4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional detail taken substantially on aplane passing along line 55 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a front or outer elevational view of the pipe mounted device;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the mounting ring;

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the mounting arm andassociated components; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the upper section of the inner or backsectional plate.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral 10 isused to designate the machine or device comprising the instantinvention. This machine, as will be readily apparent, is a combinationpipe cutter and groover positionable, during the use thereof, insurrounding relation about a pipe 12 which is to be cut, grooved, orboth cut and grooved as a simultaneous operation.

The pipe cutting device 10 includes inner and outer flat annular plates14 and 16 secured to an interposed annular bearing sleeve or collar 18to which the plates 14 and 16 are bolted. The inner or back plate 14 issectional, formed of upper and lower sections 14a and 14b, each of whichis bolted to the collar 18 as will be readily noted from FIGS. 3 and 5.The upper plate section 14a includes an integral upwardly projectingmounting panel 20 having a shaft receiving opening 22 therethrough.

A ring gear 24 surrounds and mounts for rotational movement on thebearing collar 18. The driving of the ring gear 24 is effected through aspur gear 26 engaged with the upper portion of the ring gear 24 andparalleling the inner face of the mounting panel 20. The spur gear 26includes a projecting stub shaft 28 fixed therethrough which extendsthrough the panel opening 22 for engagement with an appropriate powerunit 30 of any type. If deemed desirable, an appropriate bearing can beutilized within the; shaft receiving opening 22.

An annular mounting ring 32 also surrounds the bearing collar 18 inwardof the outer plate 16. This mounting ring 32 includes an inwardlydirected annular shoulder 34 about the inner periphery thereof whichshoulder 34 is received within a mating undercut recess 36 defined aboutthe inner periphery of the ring gear 24. A plurality ofcircumferentially spaced bolts 38 are utilized to lock the mounting ring32 to the ring gear 24 whereby a driving of the ring gear 24 will effecta simultaneous driven rotation of the mounting ring 32. The mountingring 32 is radially enlarged relative to the ring gear 24, projectingoutwardly therefrom completely thereabout and lying immediately outwardof the spur gear 26 so as to assist in a confining of the spur gear.

A short portion of the outer circumference of the mounting ring 32includes an integral forwardly projecting stepped enlargement 40, thefirst step of which overlies and projects forwardly beyond the upperedge portion of the front plate 16. A flat mounting plate 42 is weldedto the integral forwardly extending portion 40 and projects forwardlytherebeyond to mount, at one end of the outer edge thereof, 21 dependingcar 44. As will be best appreciated from FIG. 2, the inner face of thecar 44 is stepped inwardly slightly below the undersurface of themounting plate 42 so as to conform to the outer step of the projectingportion 40 of the mounting ring 32 and cooperate therewith in defining apocket for the pivotally mounted end of the adjustable mounting arm 46.

The mounting arm 46 is in the nature of an elongated rectangular barunderlying the mounting plate 42 and having one end 48 thereof enlargedand pivotally secured between the mounting ear 44 and the outer face ofthe first step of the mounting ring enlargement 40 for a verticalswinging of the second end of the arm 46. The mounting arm 46, towardthe free or outer end thereof, is provided with a pair of laterallyspaced vertical knife receiving holes or passages 50 which slidably andadjustably receive the two knives 52. It will be appreciated that theopenings 50 are rectangular, as are the shanks of the knives 52 so as toprovide for a nonrotatable reception of the knives 52. The knives 52 arelocked, at adjusted positions within the corresponding openings 50, bymeans of setscrews 54 engaged through the extreme outer end of themounting arm 46 with each knife 52 being individually adjustable so asto vary the degree of projection. For example, if the pipe 12 is to beboth severed and grooved simultaneously, the outermost knife 52 willproject a sufficient distance beyond the inner knife 52 so as to effecta severing of the pipe 12 in conjunction with a forming of the groovetherein of the desired depth. By the same token, it will be appreciatedthat a single grooving or cutting operation can be performed by merelyremoving one of the knives 52, or upwardly adjusting the knife to thepoint where no engagement is made with the pipe 12.

The mounting arm 46 is spring-biased upwardly by a coiled tension spring56 engaged between the mounting arm 46 inward of the knife openings 50and the overlying mounting plate 42. The pivotal adjustment of themounting arm 46 is effected by means of an elongated threaded adjustingshaft 58 threaded through a vertical bore in the mounting plate 42 andhaving a rounded lower bearing end 60 which engages the upper surface ofthe mounting arm 46 for a selective downward moving of the arm 46against the biasing force of the spring 56. The shaft 58 is stabilizedrelative to the mounting arm 46 by means of a longitudinally projectingreduced diameter guide pin 62 on the shaft 58 which extends through anelongated guide slot 64 defined through the mounting arm 46. An upwardpivoting of the mounting arm 46 is effected through the action of thespring 56 as the threaded shaft 58 is backed off. Incidentally, it willbe noted that an enlarged hand knob 66 is affixed to the upper end ofthe shaft 58 for ease of manipulation.

In order to mount the device on the pipe 12, three radially adjustablelocking arms 68 are provided on the back or inner plate 14. Each of thearms 68 includes an elongated base portion 70 which extends radiallyacross the rear face of the plate 14 and is bolted to a mounting block72, welded to the plate 14 by an adjusting bolt 74 which extends througha longitudinally elongated slot 76 in the base portion 70. The threadedinner end portion of the bolt 74 is received within an internallythreaded bore within the mounting plate 72. The inner end of eachmounting arm base portion 70 terminates in a lateral rearwardlyextending integral end portion 78. This end portion 78 has a threadedbore 80 therethrough which receives a clamping bolt 82. This clampingbolt 82, in conjunction with the two bolts 82 associated with the othertwo locking arms 68 effects, upon an extension thereof, a clampedengagement with the received pipe with the slotted base portions of thelocking arm 68 enabling a relatively extensive range of adjustmentthrough the device 10 for an accommodation of pipes of varying sizes.

In use, the mounting or locking legs 68 are backed off so as to enable asliding of the device 10 onto the pipe 12 to be cut, the mounting arm 46likewise being retracted so as to enable a clearing of the pipe 12 bythe knife or knives 52. The device 10 is then slid into position on thepipe and fixedly clamped thereto by an extension of the locking legs 68,care being taken to center the pipe 12 within the device. Next theknives 52 are adjusted, depending on whether a severing of the pipe, agrooving of the pipe, or a combination of both is to be effected, afterwhich the adjusting shaft 58 is manipulated so as to bring the knivesinto engagement with the pipe 12, after which the device is activated bythe coupling of a power source to the shaft 28 of the spur gear 26. Asthe cutting progresses, the mounting arm 46 is progressively swungdownward so as to continuously engage the knives 52 with the pipe 12until the desired cut or cuts have been achieved.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A pipe cutting device comprising a pipe receiving ring gear, meansfor mounting said ring gear on a pipe for rotational travel thereabout,a knife mounting arm positioned laterally of said ring gear and orientedparallel to said ring gear, means mounting said arm on said ring gearfor rotational travel therewith, and means for adjusting said arm formovement toward and away from a ring gear received pipe, said arm havingknife means mounted thereon for selective cutting engagement with thepipe, said knife means comprising a pair of laterally spaced knives tooptionally define dual or single pipe cuts, both of said knives beingadjustably mounted on said arm to vary the depth of cut of the knivesrelative to each other, the means for mounting said ring gear includinga bearing collar slidably receiving the ring gear thereover, and innerand outer annular plates fixed to the opposite sides of said bearingcollar and slidably retaining the ring gear therebetween, said innerplate including a plurality of radial locking arms adjustably mountedthereon for selective radial adjustment for locking engagement with areceived pipe.

2. The device of claim 1 including a mounting ring fixed to one face ofthe ring gear and orientated between the ring gear and the outer annularplate, said mounting ring including a laterally projecting peripheralportion extending beyond said outer plate, said mounting arm beingpivotally affixed to said laterally projecting portion for operativeorientation outward of said outer plate.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said inner plate mounts a spur gear indriving engagement with said ring gear, said spur gear including aprojecting shaft selectively engageable with a power source foreffecting a driving thereof.

4. A pipe cutting device comprising a pipe receiving ring gear, meansfor mounting said ring gear on a pipe for rotational travel thereabout,a knife mounting arm positioned laterally of said ring gear and orientedparallel to said ring gear, means mounting said arm on said ring gearfor rotational travel therewith, and means for adjusting said arm formovement toward and away from a ring gear received pipe, said arm havingknife means mounted thereon for selective cutting engagement with thepipe, said knife means comprising a pair of laterally spaced knives tooptionally define dual or single pipe cuts, at least one of said knivesbeing adjustable on said arm to vary the depth of cut of the knivesrelative to each other, the means for mounting said ring gear includinga bearing collar slidably receiving the ring gear thereover, inner andouter annular plates fixed to the opposite sides of said bearing collarand slidably retaining the ring gear therebetween, said inner plateincluding a plurality of radial locking arms adjustably mounted thereonfor selective radial adjustment for locking engagement with a receivedpipe, and a mounting ring fixed to one face of the ring gear andoriented between the ring gear and the outer annular plate, saidmounting ring including a laterally projecting peripheral portionextending beyond said outer plate, said mounting arm being pivotallyaffixed to said laterally projecting portion for operative orientationoutward of said outer plate.

5. A pipe cutting device comprising a pipe receiving ring gear, meansfor mounting said ring gear on a pipe for rotational travel thereabout,a knife mounting arm positioned laterally of said ring gear andorientated parlockin engagement with a received pipe.

6. The device of claim 5 including a mounting ring fixed to one face ofthe ring gear and orientatedtbetween the ring gear and the outer annularplate, said mounting ring including a laterally projecting peripheralportion extending beyond said outer plate, said mounting arm beingpivotally affixed to said laterally projecting portion for operativeorientation outward of said outer plate.

1. A pipe cutting device comprising a pipe receiving ring gear, meansfor mounting said ring gear on a pipe for rotational travel thereabout,a knife mounting arm positioned laterally of said ring gear and orientedparallel to said ring gear, means mounting said arm on said ring gearfor rotational travel therewith, and means for adjusting said arm formovement toward and away from a ring gear received pipe, said arm havingknife means mounted thereon for selective cutting engagement with thepipe, said knife means comprising a pair of laterally spaced knives tooptionally define dual or single pipe cuts, both of said knives beingadjustably mounted on said arm to vary the depth of cut of the knivesrelative to each other, the means for mounting said ring gear includinga bearing collar slidably receiving the ring gear thereover, and innerand outer annular plates fixed to the opposite sides of said bearingcollar and slidably retaining the ring gear therebetween, said innerplate including a plurality of radial locking arms adjustably mountedthereon for selective radial adjustment for locking engagement with areceived pipe.
 2. The device of claim 1 including a mounting ring fixedto one face of the ring gear and orientated between the ring gear andthe outer annular plate, said mounting ring including a laterallyprojecting peripheral portion extending beyond said outer plate, saidmounting arm being pivotally affixed to said laterally projectingportion for operative orientation outward of said outer plate.
 3. Thedevice of claim 2 wherein said inner plate mounts a spur gear in drivingengagement with said ring gear, said spur gear including a projectingshaft selectively engageable with a power source for effecting a drivingthereof.
 4. A pipe cutting device comprising a pipe receiving ring gear,means for mounting said ring gear on a pipe for rotational travelthereabout, a knife mounting arm positioned laterally of said ring gearand oriented parallel to said ring gear, means mounting said arm on saidring gear for rotational travel therewith, and means for adjusting saidarm for movement toward and away from a ring gear received pipe, saidarm having knife means mounted thereon for selective cutting engagementwith the pipe, said knife means comprising a pair of laterally spacedknives to optionally define dual or single pipe cuts, at least one ofsaid knives being adjustable on said arm to vary the depth of cut of theknives relative to each other, the means for mounting said ring gearincluding a bearing collar slidably receiving the ring gear thereover,inner and outer annular plates fixed to the opposite sides of saidbearing collar and slidably retaining the ring gear therebetween, saidinner plate including a plurality of radial locking arms adjustablymounted thereon for selective radial adjustment for locking engagementwith a received pipe, and a mounting ring fixed to one face of the ringgear and oriented between the ring gear and the outer annular plate,said mounting ring including a laterally projecting peripheral portionextending beyond said outer plate, said mounting arm being pivotallyaffixed to said laterally projecting portion for operative orientationoutward of said outer plate.
 5. A pipe cutting device comprising a pipereceiving ring gear, means for mounting said ring gear on a pipe forrotational travel thereabout, a knife mounting arm positioned laterallyof said ring gear and orientated parallel to said ring gear, meansmounting said arm on said ring gear for rotational travel therewith, andmeans for adjusting said arm for movement toward and away from a ringgear received pipe, said arm having knife means mounted thereon forselective cutting engagement with the pipe, the means for mounting saidring gear including a bearing collar slidably receiving the ring gearthereover, and inner and outer annular plates fixed to the oppositesides of said bearing collar and slidably retaining the ring geartherebetween, said inner plate including adjustable means mountedthereon for lockin engagement with a received pipe.
 6. The device ofclaim 5 including a mounting ring fixed to one face of the ring gear andorientated between the ring gear and the outer annular plate, saidmounting ring including a laterally projecting peripheral portionextending beyond said outer plate, said mounting arm being pivotallyaffixed to said laterally projecting portion for operative orientationoutward of said outer plate.